


Frozen Domain

by CraftyJack, Oreofignewtonsblazko



Series: The Travelers Guild [4]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, The Travelers Guild - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-10
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-10-30 11:22:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10875747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CraftyJack/pseuds/CraftyJack, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oreofignewtonsblazko/pseuds/Oreofignewtonsblazko
Summary: Jack Ripper returns to the land of Hyrule after receiving a message from Princess Zelda, requesting his help.





	1. A Cold Wind

Jack lay on the floor of his lab, picking pieces of shrapnel out of his chest. "Welp, live and learn. Mr.Smith, remind me never to do THAT again" he said, as he pulled a large chunk of glass out. "Ah screw it, I'm just going to do this the easy way" Jack muttered as he grabbed a pistol off the table. Then he swiftly put it under his chin and pulled the trigger, falling back onto the floor. A few seconds later, his eyes opened again, and with a wince, multiple glass fragments gathered in the air in front of him. "Why did I even use glass for this, I should have used a clear metal. Actually, that gives me an idea" Jack said as he waved his hand, causing the glass to reform into several beakers and test tubes. "If I-" Jack was interrupted by Mr.Smith as he said "A beacon has been activated. Location: Hyrule." Jack grabbed his jacket off the table and rushed out of the lab, grinning. "Right, no time to waste then. Ro'on, let's get this done" said Jack as he headed to the Tardis doors. Ro'on swiftly climbed onto Jack shoulder, and perched there in the form of a small dragon. As Jack exited the Tardis, he was met with a rapier pointed at his neck. The wielder was Zelda, looking none too pleased, until she recognized Jack. "Oh, it's you" she said, lowering the weapon. "Is that a good "Oh, it's you" or a bad "Oh, it's you" because honestly I can't tell" said Jack cautiously. "In this case, it's good. There is something I would like your counsel on. One of our allies is having some trouble of a magical variety. In short, their land is cursed. And that curse affects Hyrule greatly" said Zelda. "If this is gonna require diplomacy, I highly recommend sending anyone other than me" said Jack. "As long as you have basic manners, you should be fine. The Zoran race is used to outsiders. All I want you to do, is figure out what is going on, and fix it. None of the court magicians can figure out what exactly is happening, that is why I called you here" she continued. "Eh, fine by me. I like a good mystery" said Jack. "Before you leave, do you still have the Ocarina?" asked Zelda. Jack patted his jacket pocket, saying "Yeah, its safe. Why?" "The Zoran Princess will need it as proof that you are our emissary" replied Zelda. 'Thanks for the heads up, I'm leaving the Tardis here by the way, its that box, see ya!" yelled Jack as he dove out the nearest window. "Huh, nice view" he thought as the ground rushed up to meet him, before Ro'on spread his wings and flew upward, carrying Jack. "So, where are we going?" asked Ro'on. "Well, given that I'm supposed to meet with the Zoras, it makes sense to head to the place called "Zoras Domain". Just, follow the biggest river till we hit the waterfall" said Jack, pointing at the world below him. "Perhaps we should land ahead of time. A dragon usually causes an alarm, and I do not want to be shot out of the skies again" said Ro'on. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. You go in as a wolf, I go in acting human, wait, they're called Hylians here right? I go in acting like a Hylian, we solve whatever curse is in play, then we just stroll out of there without a barrage of questions. Sometimes, I love planets where magic is a thing, makes my life so much easier. Nowadays you throw a bit of lightning at someone and they freak out" said Jack. "To be fair, nothing will ever get as bad as Salem" said Ro'on. "Oh god, just drop me now" said Jack, before once again plummeting to his doom, and not looking the slightest bit worried. In fact, he seemed rather bored. He landed on his feet and grunted, with Ro'on landing beside him. "Good timing, that was actually funny" said Jack. Ro'on shifted into a large grey wolf, then barked at Jack. "Convincing. Right, let's go meet with whoever it is" said Jack. Both he and Ro'on walked upstream, navigating the twisting pathway. along the way, two things occurred to Jack. One, the air was very cold, almost too cold for there to be running water, and two, that the pathway seemed to be hardly used, nor was it very good. Several times Jack had to jump across the river in order to continue on the path, something he was sure a normal human would have difficulty doing. "Y'know, I get the feeling I'm forgetting something important here" said Jack as he stood in front of the waterfall. There was a rumbling noise from father up, and the waterfall parted to reveal an entrance. As Jack stepped inside, he gazed at the massive cavern that stretched out in front of him. What was even more impressive is that it was completely illuminated, by means Jack couldn't instantly discern. "You must be the mage from Hyrule that Zelda told me about. You certainly don't look like the others though" said a voice from behind Jack. He turned to look at who was taking, when he instantly remembered what he had forgotten. "Oh boy, this is gonna be weird" thought Jack, as he maintained eye contact with a female Zora, who in line with Zoran culture, was not wearing anything. "You seem to be taking this well. Most outsiders stare for at least a few seconds" she said, crossing her arms. "I have been to a lot of places" said Jack. "There will be words said to Zelda after this" he thought. "Is that so? Well, you're acting much better than the others, so good for you" she said, in a slightly impressed tone. "By the way, if you could prove that you actually are who you say you are and not somebody faking being a mage in order to get in here, now would be the perfect time" she said, holding out a hand. Jack dug through his pockets and pulled out the Ocarina of Time, placing it in her hand. Her eyes widened as she looked at the Ocarina, then she handed it back to him, saying "I was expecting a sealed letter, but this is even better. Here come with me... Uh, sorry, but what was your name again?" Jack took the Ocarina back and said "Jack Ripper, or just Jack for short." The zoran woman looked puzzled, as if lost in thought, then said "Well then Jack, if we are to work together, you need my name. I am Ruto, Princess of the Zoras, and the Sage of Water. Do try to be somewhat humble"


	2. The Sage of Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Ruto find the source of the ice.

“Yeah, not gonna lie, royalty doesn’t exactly give you bonus points in my book. I got stuck in a war to overthrow an immortal king once. Fun fact, he wasn’t as immortal as he thought.” said Jack as he walked through the cavern halls. “I don’t remember about hearing about such a King in recent years, aside from the King of Thieves, but I do not believe he was immortal… Where exactly was this war?” asked Ruto, slightly perplexed. Most visitors didn’t speak so openly to her, or if they did it was about politics or other such undesired topics. It was a refreshing change to hear something interesting for once, even if he was a bit rude. “Heh, it was in a land very far away from Hyrule, in an age long past. But, that’s a story for another day” said Jack as he stepped into a section of cavern where the water had been frozen solid. “This is why we asked for aid” said Ruto, pointing at the ice. “Oh, now that is weird. The water around here should be constantly flowing, making ice nearly impossible to form. So, question is, what stopped up the water?” said Jack, looking around. “You’re quick. We’ve tried quite a few things, using torches to keep the area warm, magicians using magic to melt the ice, even used a heated stone from the Gorons, all to no avail. So, any ideas Mr. Ripper?” asked Ruto, raising an eyebrow. Jack was quiet for a moment, staring into the ice. “Of course, all talk and no results. Just like the others” Ruto thought, immediately thinking of the letter she was going to write to Princess Zelda after this was all over, expressing her discontent at her choice of help. “Show me the rest of Zoras Domain” said Jack, as he looked around. “Of course. You should know that this is the only place that has frozen over, the rest of the Domain is perfectly fine” said Ruto. They walked around the whole area, passing several pools and even a waterfall. As they passed the waterfall, Jack tapped Ruto on the shoulder and said “Take me back to the frozen section.” “Odd, he’s been quiet up till now” thought Ruto, but she took him back. “This pool, it drains into the lake, correct? Then its refilled by the pool we passed earlier, which gets water from higher up, which is due to the spring at the top of Zoras Domain” said Jack. “That’s right, it drains into Lake Hylia, but how could you tell that?” asked Ruto. “There is a hole near that corner of the wall, I figured… Wait-“ Jack said, holding up a hand. “How many Zoras are in here, in these caverns right now? Actually, never mind, better question, how fast can you get them all out of here?” Jack asked, in a much more serious tone. “Quite quickly, most moved out of here to Lake Hylia as soon as the ice filled up this pool. After the last incident, they are rather cautious of history repeating itself. Why, what is the danger?” asked Ruto. “The water isn’t flowing right” said Jack. “That’s not very helpful” said Ruto, while also signaling for a nearby guard. “Get everyone out of here, spread the word” she said, before turning to Jack and asking “What exactly is this danger? Explain it this time.” Jack pointed at the ice and said “Whatever did this is cutting off escape routes, ergo, its malevolent. I don’t know what it is, but its obvious it got in through the lake, freezing the passage allowing water to drain. I’m guessing its some sort of liquid being that froze that section, then moved onto higher ground. The waterfall is what clued me in, it wasn’t adding up. If the water drained through here, then there should be some runoff from the other pools finding new routes to the lowest point, but there isn’t. Ergo, that monster is in Zoras Domain, absorbing the water.” “A few years ago, there was an aquatic monster infesting the Temple in the lake. I thought we had destroyed it, but it must have escaped. It had a reddish mass in the center, that’s the only point where you can damage it” said Ruto. “Great, I’ll look for it, while you get your people out of here” said Jack. “You might be clever, but you don’t know these caverns like I do, or the monster. Besides, its my duty to protect my people as princess, and the waters of Hyrule as Sage. And no court magician is going to tell me otherwise, in my own kingdom” she said in a dominant tone. “Right, fine, just do me a favor” said Jack, drawing his hand across his face. “And what favor would that be?” asked Ruto, in a more innocent tone. “Try not to get yourself killed?” said Jack, heading down a passageway. “Sure. Also, you are heading the wrong way” she said. Jack rolled his eyes, and made a motion of “After you” as Ruto took the lead.


	3. Waves of Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morpha reveals its form in an all out battle for Zoras Domain. Its a shorter chapter I know, but thats just how it ended up.

As Jack ran past one of the pools, he grabbed Rutos shoulder and pulled her backwards. A blue watery tentacle smashed the ground where she would have been standing. “I think we found it!” said Jack as the monstrous creature rose out of the depths. “There, in the center. That’s the core. It’s the only place you can hurt it” said Ruto, pointing at a pulsing mass within the creature. “Got it, thanks” said Jack as he leapt through the air, sword in hand. A tentacle approached him, so he slashed at it, hoping to dissipate it. To his surprise, it remained solid. “Oh shit!” he thought as it grabbed him and flung him into the opposite wall. He fell to the ground and landed on one knee. “Alright, that didn’t work as well as I’d like” he said, spitting out gobs of blood. “Ro’on, ideas?” asked Jack. “Lightning can pass through water, as well as sound. However, judging by its appearance, I would assume it can absorb lightning as well as most forms of energy” said Ro’on. “Wait, you can talk?!” Ruto said, shocked that he had been silent until now. “I’ll explain later, focus on the monster. You think a sonic howl would work?” asked Jack. “Unless you want to be buried in stone, I would advise against it. The force needed to substantially harm this monster would cave in the area. If you can get it outside though…” said Ro’on. “Ruto, you control water right? Think you could gather enough water to flush this thing out?” asked Jack. “Yes! But I’ll need time to gather enough water, can you keep it distracted for a few minutes?” she asked. “One way to find out!” said Jack, his sword morphing into several double bladed spears. “Ro’on, you’re on protection duty. Keep it off of Ruto!” said Jack as he jumped up again. Ro’ons form flickered as he made his way towards Ruto, firing blasts of searing heat from his mouth at anything that got too close. Meanwhile, Ruto poured all of her will into gathering the water at the bottom of Zoras Domain. “No more screwing around” thought Jack, as he used his telekinesis to move himself through the air. Every time Morpha tried to attack him, he spun his blades in front of him with his mind, causing the wave to disperse around him. If one tentacle got too close to Ruto, Ro’on would raise a scaled wing to cover her as Jack would disperse it. There was a limit to the creatures’ abilities, one that Jack quickly noticed. “The water has to be connected to the core in order to be controlled!” he said. Finally, after a few minutes, Ruto said “I’m done!” “Great, then floo-“ Jack started to say, but was stopped mid-sentence as he was struck from behind by a tentacle. He had been distracted only for a moment, but it was enough. He flew into the wall, and got impaled on an outcropping of rock. He tried to push himself off, but quickly lost consciousness. Ro’on collapsed onto the floor as Ruto watched in horror. But she knew what had to be done. With a cry of rage, she let loose the torrent of water she had summoned forth, as all of them were swept away.


	4. Second Chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected ending

Since she was a Zora, Ruto had no trouble breathing underwater. The rapid quickly flushed them all downstream to Lake Hylia, where Ruto quickly jumped to the shore. Morpha rose out of the depths once more, raising its tentacles in preparation to smash Ruto into a paste. “Right, think fast. Jack’s dead, Ro’on is missing, so that sonic howl or whatever isn’t an option anymore. Think, what can I use?” she thought, her eyes darting around. “Water, untainted water. Water I can use!” she realized. As the tentacles converged on her, she summoned a column of water and washed them away, diverting them back into the lake. She had a means of defense now, all she needed was a way to attack. She could use her fins to cut through the center, but getting the core exposed was the tricky part. “Unless I hit it with pinpoint stream of water. Then I could hop into the stream and slice it!” But before she could execute her idea, she was besieged by another flurry of attacks. It took all of her concentration to keep from getting crushed into oblivion. Then, all of a sudden, someone grabbed her head and held their hands over her ears. Then Morpha distorted and the tentacles turned into mist. At first, Ruto was confused and tried to throw off her attacker, but after a few seconds they removed their hands. “It’s sinking beneath the surface, raise it up and we can finish it off!” said a familiar voice. “Right!” said Ruto, pushing the questions in her mind away. She summoned a spout of water and dove into the lake as Jack ran on top of the water. They both reached the spout at the same time, each cutting clean through Morphas core, Jack with his blade, Ruto with her fins. As they landed on the opposite shore, Ro’on grabbed what was left of the core, and spat it onto the ground, where it withered away. Ruto breathed a sigh of relief, then yelled “HOW ARE YOU ALIVE?!” Jack shrugged and said “Well, long story short, I can’t die. Kinda simple really.” Ruto looked at him with an expression of awe, and said “Simple? You literally just got impaled, and you’re treating this like its nothing! Also, talking wolf?” she retorted. “Being impaled is a non-issue when you’re immortal. Also, shapeshifter” said Jack as he sat down into the ground. “You’re telling me that you’re a court magician who is immortal and spends his time with a shapeshifter?” said Ruto. “Eh, kinda. I’m not a court magician. Princess Zelda and me are friends, I’m just here as a favor” replied Jack. “Wait, hold on, friends? But, if you… the Ocarina, now I see! You’re the traveler from the Gods! The one who showed up and helped seal away Ganon! That was several years ago, so I did not recognize you, but now things make more sense.” said Ruto. Jack stood up and stretched, then snapped his fingers, pointing at a clear patch of grass. A rhythmic whooshing was heard as a cardboard box materialized out of thin air. “My job here is done. Obviously Ganon wasn’t responsible for this, it was just one of his leftover minions. So there’s no reason for me to stick around” said Jack as he headed for the box. “Wait! Where are you going?” asked Ruto, sounding a little panicked. “I dunno. Wherever I feel like. I’ve got all of time and space to visit” said Jack. “Take me with you” said Ruto, in a much softer tone. Jack paused, his hand on the door of the Tardis. “Why?” he asked, in a much more serious tone. “Because, I can see your strength. I nearly let Zoras Domain be frozen again. I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t even figure out what it was. And even afterwards, I was barely able to hold my own against Morpha alone. But you, you had everything figured out, and had the power to act. If Ganon returns, no, when Ganon returns, I will need to be much stronger in order to protect everyone. That’s why I want to come with you, so you can teach me” she said. “Ganon? You think Ganon is the real threat? He is nothing compared to the creatures I have fought. I’ve fought beings that destroy galaxies for fun, who enslave countless species to further their own goals. You would not last a minute against them. I will not have your death on my hands. Stay here in Hyrule and enjoy your life” said Jack. “You know, you aren’t the only person who is immortal” said Ruto. “What?” said Jack, surprised for once. “The Sages are immortal for as long as they perform their duties. As long as I protect the waters of this land, I shall live forever. And if there are such dangerous threats, ones greater than Ganon, then I would be a fool to ignore them. So, let me come with you. Train me to be as strong as possible, so that I may face these threats” she said. Jack was silent for a while, deep in thought. “If you step through those doors, the person you are now will never return. You will see the greatest wonders of the universe, and you will see the greatest abominations of it as well. For every joy, there will be sorrow to match it. Knowing all this, if you still wish to come with me, step inside the box” said Jack, before stepping inside the Tardis. Without hesitation, Ruto stepped into the Tardis.


End file.
